Enjoy 2019 at the San Lorenzo River!

What does 2019 have in store for the Coastal Watershed Council?

We are looking forward to more walks along the Santa Cruz Riverwalk, blooming native plants along the San Lorenzo River and getting to know Santa Cruz’s network of river lovers and environmental stewards. In 2019, CWC will continue our work on transforming the San Lorenzo River into a thriving river ecosystem surrounded by attractive and accessible park spaces in the heart of Santa Cruz. We look forward to collaborating with 500 people who live, work, and play along the San Lorenzo River to make this happen.

We invite you to join us in restoring riparian ecosystem, protecting water quality in riverfront neighborhoods and creating a warm and welcoming community. Check out our upcoming volunteer opportunities below.

River Health Days

Do you like getting your hands dirty and learning about the river ecosystem? Then this one-of-a-kind habitat restoration program is an excellent volunteer opportunity for you! Join CWC staff and volunteers every 2nd Saturday of the month for River Health Day events at our habitat restoration site between Laurel Street and Soquel Avenue Bridges. Enjoy a few calming hours engrossed in the river ecosystem. Look out for warblers, bushtits and even a burrowing owl known to frequent the area. Learn about native plants and the plants, animals and insects they support. In 2019, contribute to biodiversity and create a lively and appealing aesthetic for Riverwalk users. Sign up and learn more here.

Are you and your friends, team, community or church group looking for a fun activity to do together? CWC schedules private River Health Days for groups seeking team-building opportunities and a way to give back to Santa Cruz. CWC’s Education Team also now leads youth-oriented River Health Days for elementary and middle school students.For all private and youth River Health Days please complete the Group Volunteer Sign-up form and include River Health Day and preferred dates and times. CWC staff will work to schedule an exciting and educational field trip to the river when it is most convenient for your students.

Snapshot Day:

Snapshot Day is CWC’s oldest running program and in 2019 we celebrate the 20th anniversary. This annual water quality monitoring tradition is the ultimate event for science enthusiasts and river nerds. As a Snapshot Day volunteer, you will learn how to gather water quality data. You will learn about physical and biological factors that impact stream health and about common water pollutants that come from our homes, our yards and our streets. On May 4, 2019, you will join a team of trained volunteers and explore and gather important data from streams in Santa Cruz County. The data you collect will be used by CWC and local water quality managers to track trends in pollution and develop best practices for improvement.

San Lorenzo River Events:

If your friends describe you as the social butterfly or you love bringing people together, then volunteering with CWC at San Lorenzo River events is an excellent opportunity for you. You can contribute your social charisma and party-planning skills to one of the over 20 educational, recreational and stewardship CWC-hosted events or the number of partner events that we support. We need help with everything from event planning and event-day logistics, to community outreach and tabling. As a events volunteer, you play an integral role in ensuring that each and every attendee has a positive San Lorenzo River experience and is inspired to return to the river.

If you have any questions about the volunteer opportunities listed above or have some skills that you would like to contribute to Coastal Watershed Council, please complete the Volunteer Interest Form here. You can also send a message to Community and Science Manager Alev Bilginsoy at abilginsoy@coastal-watershed.org or call (831) 464 9200. We look forward to seeing you at the San Lorenzo River in 2019!